Garment-locking device



sept. zs,19z6. r .1,601,493

R. E. coNDoN GARIENT LOCKINQ DEVICE Filed June 10., 1926 IN1/wrox. /wrd condon ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 28, 1925.

UNITEDy sfr-Ares 'RICHARD n. coNnoN, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

Application filed June 10, 1926. Serial No. 114,931.

In factories, workshops, and other institutions it is a common rpractice to provide a large number of clotheshangers inrows at some distance from the places where the owners of the garments are employed. Either by accident or design, garments, particularly jackets and 'overcoats, left on these hangers are not infrequently removed by persons other than their owners.

This inventionaims to provide a garment locking 'device which may be easily attached to an article of'wear-ing apparel so that the garment in question cannot be worn until after the'devi'ce has been removed; and as it is necessary to unlock a padlock before the device can be removed it will be seen that its removal cannot easily be accomplished by anyone not in possession of a key.` In this manner accidental removal of garments is prevented,

and if anyone contemplated taking a gan.

ment belonging to someone else he would probably be deterred on seeing a locking device thereon as the latter would, in all probability, lead to his detection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment locking device that is cheap to manufacture and Asimple and foolproof in operation. 1

Having thus briefly outlined the major purposes of the invention, I will now proceed to describe an embodiment thereof with the aid of the accompanying drawy ings, in which: Y

Iligure 1 illustrates the inventionsecured to the sleeve of a jacket.

VFigure 2 shows a coat and Vhat with the y invention applied to them both.

Figure 3 is a plan View of the invention, and Y lligure el is a side elevation.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail. l

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates a resilient U-shaped member, the

arms 2 and 3 of which are of unequalv length. Through the longer arm 2 and towards its outer end a longitudinally clon-- gated opening Llis provided which terminates usually in a hole 5 ofV greater width at its outerend. The shorter arm 8 term-inates under the opening 4, is slotted Ylongitudinally for al short distancefrom itsiend c as indicated at 6, and has its end so shaped as to form an eye 7 for the hinge pin18. catch 9 is located in the slot 6, extends through the opening 4, and is pivotally mounted on the pin 8. Y

rThe catch 9 is Aprovided with a plurality1 of notches 10 any one of which is adapted to engage the inner end of the slot el, so that when any notch is in engagementv there is suilicient distance between theback of the catch and the end ofthe hole 5 for the ele-ment 11 of the `padlock 12 to be passed through the saidy hole 5. It will be noted that the width of the catch is [only slightly less than the length of the (,)pening` or slot l plus the length of the hole 5, so that as long as the element 11..pjasses through that hole it prevents the catch be-v ing moved back sufficiently for the notch to become released from the front of the opening el. 1

lllhen I am about to use the device I frequently fold the coat sleeve 15 as shown in Figures 1 and 2 so as to afford a greater thickness for the device to grip.

Before applying the device I first open the arms 2 and 3 so that the garment can easily be passed between them. Meanwhile the catch 9 is swung back so that no notch 10 is in engagement with the front of the opening 4. After the device has beenplaced on the garment the arms 2 and 3 are pressed together and the catch 9 swungforward so that one of the notches 10 engages the Vfront of the slot el. The element 11 of the padlock is then passed through the hole 5. If

the arms have been well pressed rtogether beforet-he catch 9 was swung forwards the grip ofthe resilient arms on the garment is such that it is practically impossiblel to remove the device without hrst removing the padlock. c

' It will be noted that in Figure 2 a hat 16 is valso shown held'by the device. The object 'of providing a plurality of notches 10 is sojthatithe device may be applied either to athin acket or to a heavy overcoat Awith a jacket inside it and a hat as well.

Having thus described the preferred construction of my invention, and as it is Vunderstood that that construct-ion i s susceptible tosuch changes as fall within the scope of the appended claims, what I claim. is :r

V1. In a garment holding device, the com`- bination of a resilient Ushaped member, lone arm of said member having ai longitudinally elongated opening therethrough towardsV its,

`outer end, a catchpivotallymounted onthe other arm, said catch passing through said opening and having notches on its inner edge any one of which is adapted to engage the inner edge of said opening, said catchA being only slightly shorter than the length of said opening, and a locking member adapted to pass through the outer end of said slot when one of said notches is in engagement with the `front of said opening, said locking member then preventing said catch being moved baclr sufficiently to disengage its notch from the front of saidopening.

2. In a garment locking device, the Combinat-ion oi.l a resilient U-shaped member having arms of unequal length, the longer arm having a longitudinally elongated opening therethrough towards its outer end, a atch pivotally mounted at the outer end of the shorter arm, said catch passing through said opening and having notches in its inner surface any one of Which is adapted to engage the inner edge of said opening, a locking member adapted to pass through the outer end of said opening Wheneone of said notches is in engagement with the inner edge of said opening to hold said catch in engagement With said edge.

Y, 3. Ina garment locking device, the combinationas described inclaim 2, wherein the longer arm has a hole of greater Width therethrough at the outer end of the opening to receive the locking member, and the catch must be moved pivotally back into said hole before the notch by which the inner edge of the opening is engaged is clear of said edge.

4i. In a garment holding device, the coin-f bination of a U-shaped member the ends ot which are adapted to be moved nearer to or further from one another, a catch pivotally mounted on one of said ends, said catch hav ing notches therein, the other of said ends having a slot therethrough through Which said catch passes', said notches being adapted to engage one Aend of said slot, and a locking member adapted to pass through said slot towards its opposite end.

YRICHARD E. CONDON. 

